Villa Capra

Villa Capra (also known as Villa La Rotonda) was built in the year 1567, the

Late Renaissance in Italy by Andrea Palladio who is the man in the portrait figure 1.

But unfortunately, Palladio died at the age of 71, Life of Andrea Palladio (as cited in

Villa La Rotonda, 2009). Vicenzo Scamozzi, the man in the portrait of figure 2

continued the construction of Villa Capra and finished it in the year of 1569 (Murray,

1986).

Paolo Almerico (1514-1589) whom was a count and a canon of the Cathedral

chapter of Vicenza and Referendary to Pope Pius IV and also the client of Villa

Capra, wished for a building for himself to contemplate, entertain and has a half

hour’s walk to the Vicenza’s south walls (Castex, 2008). The dome was selected

because of the meaning of “domus” which means “house” such as ancient Roman

houses with domes and the porticos were chosen also because they represented the

main views of the surrounding landscape (Castex, 2008). But, by using these two

architectural elements, which are taken from sacral church architecture, it results with

the lack of homeliness (Toman, 2007). The villa is in the shape of a Greek cross

(Toman, 2007).

Figure 1: Andrea Palladio. Source: http://uploads8.wikipaintings.org/images/el-greco/portrait-of-a-man-andrea-palladio-1575.jpg

Figure 2:VicenzoScamozzi. Source: http://www.riha-journal.org/articles/2012/galleries-2012/images-davis-riha-journal-0059/abb1

Figure 2 : Andrea Palladio Figure 1 : Vicenzo Scamozzi

According to Goethe (as cited in Toman, 2007) in 1786 on Villa Capra, “It may

well be that architecture has never been more extravagant”. Besides, according to

Goethe (as cited in Toman, 2007) on Villa Capra’s second impression, “Within it can

be called habitable, but not homely”.

The decoration of Villa Capra started at the end of the 16th century and was

finished at the beginning of the 18th century, Genesi of the Villa (as cited in Villa La

Rotonda, 2009).

End of the 16th century:

Beginning of the 17th century:

Beginning of the 18th century:

Name Work (s)

Lorenzo Rubini Built the statues on stairs.

Giambattista Albanese Built the statues on the porticos and roof.

Completed the frescosinside the dome and

in the four corners rooms and little rooms

The Greek cross

The portico

with Alessandro Maganzacommissioned by

the owner of the villa that time, Oddorico

Capra in the beginning of 17th century.

Alessandro Maganza

Completed the frescos inside the dome and

in the four corners rooms and little rooms

with Giambattista Albanese commissioned

by the owner of the villa that time, Oddorico

Capra.

Agostino Rubini

Completed the stuccoes inside the dome

and in the four corners rooms and little

rooms commissioned by the owner of the

villa that time, Oddorico Capra.

Decorated the major rooms with lavish

marble fireplaces and beautiful stucco

decorated cowls with Ottaviano Ridolfi.

Ottaviano Ridolfi

Decorated the major rooms with lavish

marble fireplaces and beautiful stucco

decorated cowls with Agostino Rubini.

Louis Dorigny

Painted frescos of the hall and the corridors

for the wedding of Marzio and Cecilia

Capra.

The statues

The fresco and statues in the corridor

Palladio made Villa Capra more historically significant and meaningful by

planning very precise mathematical proportions on the geometric shape of the

property (Toman, 2007). Besides, the system proportions of rooms were based on

the musical scale harmonies (octaves, thirds, fourth, etc.) (Castex, 2008). Palladio’s

mathematical organization in his architecture plan always creates the most appealing

variety in and out by combining the numbers, proportions, and music (abstractly) to

convey the idea of beauty (Castex, 2008).

During the Reformation period, the Anabaptists from the artisans and

peasants were against the authority while the Erasmian ideals and Presbyterianism

were embraced by the upper class (Castex, 2008). In order to escape from this

turmoil, the special personality of Almerico and Palladio’s meditations on ancient art

came together by this chance and Palladio was able to realize the vision of creating a

villa-temple, Genesi of the Villa (as cited in Villa La Rotonda, 2009). This idea was

also generated by the surrounding of Villa Capra which has a direct relationship with

the rural environment.

According to Andrea Palladio, The Four Books of Architecture, 1570, L.II, p.

18 (trans. Tavernor and Schofield, 1997) (as cited in Genesi of the Villa (as

cited in Villa La Rotonda, 2009):”The site is one of the most pleasing and

delightful that one could find because it is on top of a small hill which is easy

to ascend; on one side it is bathed by the Bacchiglione, a navigable river, and

on the other is surrounded by other pleasant hills which resemble a vast

theater and are completely cultivated and abound with wonderful fruit and

excellent vines; so, because it enjoys the most beautiful vistas on every side,

some of which are restricted, others more extensive, and yet others which

end at the horizon…”

The frescos inside the dome for the wedding between Marzio and Cecilia Capra.